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Sphere activities in the Pacific Islands
A. Sphere Pacific Program
Implementing organisations
Council for International Development, New Zealand (CID), Australian Council for International Development (ACFID, Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT)
Participating organisations
Solomon Islands
Local coordinating agency: Development Services Exchange.
Participants: Habitat for Humanity, World Vision, ADRA, Kastomgaden, Literacy Assoc of Solomon Is, Reigning Impact Ministries, National Disaster Management Office, AusAID, SI Red Cross, Civil Society Network, Oxfam CAA, , Rotary, National Council of Women, Hani, SIDT, Save the Children, Vois Blong Mere.
Fiji
Local coordinating agency: Fiji Council of Social Services.
Participants: Partners in Community Development, ANZ Bank, Ministry of Works, Fiji Muslim League, Suva City Council, Mineral Resources Dept., National Disaster Management Office, Police, DCOS, Fiji Broadcasting Corp., Ministry Regional Devt., St. John Ambulance, Partners in Community Development, Regional Rights Resource Team.
Vanuatu
Local coordinating agency: VANGO
Participants: Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul, SSVP (Youth) Secours Catholique, National Council of Women, National Disaster Management Office, Port Vila Municipality, Vanuatu Meteorological Services, Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific Vanuatu, Vanuatu Rural Development, Training Center Association, Lakalakabulu, World Vision, Wan Smol Bag, Vanuatu Police HQ, Local Authorities, Agricultural Department, Peace Corps, Public Works Dept., Dept. of Geology, Mines and Rural Water Supply.
B. Sphere Pacific Program Key Learnings
1. Need to understand full extent of local capacity including limitations of participating agencies and adapt program implementation accordingly;
2. Value of cross agency learning that fosters both networking and coordination between different agencies;
3. Sphere as a strong tool for improving overall disaster management (preparedness, mitigation, assessment, response etc) at both national and community levels;
4. The minimum standards provide an advocacy and operational tool to decide the level of assistance needed thus mitigating against increasing community ‘shopping list’ expectations as a result of disasters;
5. Need for continued support to facilitate adoption of Sphere in different agencies based on an agency’s own role within the broader context of disaster management;
6. Need for additional training is second to the need to support and assist agencies to incorporate Sphere into existing disaster response processes using existing resources; and
7. The need for continued support and encouragement across different agencies for the interest in Sphere to be translated into improved disaster response at the national level.
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